PRIME Minister Dr. Mwigulu Nchemba has issued a firm directive to regional commissioners (RCs) and administrative officials ationwide to tackle persistent water shortages by deploying drilling rigs, water testing vehicles and dam-construction machinery.

Addressing a public meeting at Mlowo, Mbozi District in Songwe Region at midweek, the premier expressed dissatisfaction that government equipment lies idle while various urban and rural communities face acute water shortages.

Regional officials alongside constituency MPs and even members of cabinet had highlighted critical water deficits in Mlowo and Tunduma wards. Part of a key trade corridor where economic activity is hampered being hindered by inconsistent water supply.

Onesmo Mnkondya, MP for Mbozi, and David Silinde, MP for Tunduma who is also Agriculture deputy minister, raised the matter at the rally, prompting the premier to emphasize that the government’s strategy to resolve water shortages is multi-faceted.

It is tailored to the geography of each area, thus combining large-scale national projects with localized solutions, ensuring equal benefit for urban and rural communities, he said, pointing at unprecedented investments to resolve equipment shortages for ending water flow handicaps.

Each region is now equipped with a dedicated drilling plant, with mobile testing units distributed to verify the safety and quality of newly sourced water, he said, noting that zonal dam machinery involving heavy excavation equipment is deployed across all zones to mitigate drought impacts.

“The challenge of equipment shortage… has been resolved,” he declared, insisting that there is no longer any excuse for these machines to remain stationary while people hanker for water.

He lashed at administrative inefficiency and unnecessary outsourcing, noting that officials favour private tenders over utilizing existing government resources, as borehole drilling and dam construction are relatively low-cost operations when managed internally.

RCs have to oversee that that drilling and excavation machinery are operational and deployed along with fuel allocation, where dedicated budgets for fuel and connection materials are prioritized for prompt use.

Government-owned tools and equipment should be prioritized to save taxpayer money and accelerate service delivery, he said, hinting at work for the next fiscal cycle, where regions need to submit comprehensive inventories of villages and urban streets that remain without dependable water infrastructure.

“For areas not reached by large pipelines, we will resolve the problem through localized boreholes or dams,” he stated, affirming that this data will be critical in shaping the next national budget, ensuring remote and drought-prone areas are included in the government’s plan for universal water access.

His visit Songwe underscores the government’s commitment to “reach the last mile” in transforming development policy into tangible outcomes for every Tanzanian household, he said, nderliningi that by ensuring active use of available machinery, regions can guarantee that no community is left behind in the quest for clean, safe and reliable water.

In Kiwira, the premier called on the youth to reject calls for violence intended to destabilize the nation and sabotage economic growth, in an address yesterday. The premier inspected public and private property damaged during the October 29 unrest.

He reiterated the mandate to improve government efficiency, demanding that public servants travel to peripheral and remote areas to resolve citizens' grievances on-site, as well as using smart procurement where health officers stock medical supplies using surveys to show the levels of medical supplies matchinmg local health needs.

He had earlier inspected the Kyela small town authority and the Kasumulu one-stop border post, both facilities suffering extensive damage during anti-polls riots October 29, directing rapid assessing of repair needs and coordinating immediate restoration of essential services to return trade and social activities to normal.